Hubcap washer

ABSTRACT

A hubcap washer is provided with a brush having a beveled or tapered face that allows the maximum number of individual bristles to be cleaning or brushing at one time. The brush is mounted at an angle so that the face of the brush is disposed generally at a 90* angle with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel. The brush in the preferred form is also stepped.

United States Patent Van Brakel Feb. 22, 1972 HUBCAP WASHER 3,058,133 10/1962 Haverberg ..15/2l R [72] Inventor; Russel A v Brakel w Dale, L 3,517,405 6/1970 Hanna et a1 ..15/97 R [73] Assignee: iiavercblfrg Autlilil Laundry Equipment Co., Primary Examiner Edward L Roberts AttrneySeed, Berry & Dowrey [22] Filed: Apr. 3, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 25,503 [57] ABSTRACT A hubcap washer is provided with a brush having a beveled or H tapered face that allows the maximum number of individual 58 Field oi sl ch: ..l Dl G. 2 21 R, 21 B, 97, bristles to be Cleaning or brushing one: time The brush is /3 5 25 51 303 393 302 159 1 0 mounted at an angle so that the face of the brush is disposed generally at a angle with respect to the axis of rotation of [561 References Cited the wheel. The brush in the preferred form is also stepped.

UNlTED STATES PATENTS 7 Claims, 3 Drawing lFigulres 3,191,207 6/1965 Van Brakel ..15/21 R PMMMWW m V 3., m3 PETS FIG==3 INVENTGR.

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ATTORNEYS HUBCAP WASHER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to automatic wheel washers for vehicles and, more particularly, to hubcap washers.

2. Description of the Prior Art I-leretofore brushes for automatic wheel washers have had a 90 or flat face, which if fed into a rapidly rotating hubcap during cleaning would fold the brush bristles or lay them baclk against one another so that less than 25 percent of the effective bristle points would be used. In addition, since the brush bristles would be compressed back, or bunched up, they would have a greater tendency to twist and tangle as the wheel is rotated. The lack of sufficient contact with the brush bristles and the twisting tendency would result in nonuniform cleaning, greater brush wear, and distortion of the bristles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of this invention is to provide a hubcap washer brush that allows more individual bristles or brush points to be cleaning or brushing at one time.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hubcap brush that provides a more uniform brushing action thus more uniform brush wear and as a result longer brush life.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hubcap washer brush in which the bristles do not twist or tangle when urged against the rapidly rotating hubcap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hubcap brush which is long lasting and effectively cleans the entire surface of the hubcap.

Basically these objects are accomplished by the use of a brush having elongated flexible bristles which terminate in a beveled or tapered brush face. In the preferred form, the brush is mounted such that the face is generally perpendicular to the central axis of rotation of the hubcap. In one form of the invention the brush is also stepped to compensate for the contours in hubcaps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a generally schematic illustration of a wheel washer employing the hubcap brush of the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the wheel washer shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A beveled brush is incorporated into an automated vehicle-washing system in which cars are moved along a path by a conveyor with various washing and drying operations taking place at different stations along the path. A typical washing system is shown in US. Pat. Nos. 3,058,133 and 3,191,207. A preferred form of a wheel washer assembly, that is, the part of the system which is used to wash the wheel of the vehicle, is shown in more detail in Van Brakel copending application Ser. No. 851,539, filed Aug. 20, 1969, entitled WHEEL WASHER ASSEMBLY.

The beveled brush 10 of the instant invention relies upon the spinning of the wheel and the application of cleaning solution as the brush is moved against the wheel for producing a cleaning action. As is well known in the art the spinning of the wheel is accomplished by pulling the vehicle over a set of powered, rotatable rollers 12. Suitable drive means 13 are provided to rotate the rollers 12. In the preferred embodiment the wheel washer assembly includes a stationary frame 14, a carriage 16 mounted for reciprocation toward and away from the vehicle path of travel, and a brush holder assembly 18 mounted for reciprocable movement along the vehicle path of travel. The carriage 16 is reciprocated by a pneumatic cylinder and piston 20 having a piston rod 22 pivotally secured to the carriage. Extension of the piston rod 22 moves the carriage toward the path of the vehicle whereas retraction of the piston rod pulls the carriage away from the path of the vehicle.

Fixed on a lower portion of the carriage 16 is a series of stationary, relative to the direction of the vehicle path of travel, stiff-bristled brushes 24 which are positioned to engage the tire mounted on the wheel of the vehicle. Thus, as the vehicle is moved along over the rollers 12 the wheel will spin and rub against the brushes 24 along the entire length of the wheel washer assembly.

The brush holder 18 includes a set of nozzles 30 which, as is well known, direct a high-pressure spray of hot soapy water, steam, or other suitable cleaning solution onto the wheel as it is being moved through the wheel washer assembly. Preferably one nozzle is directed at the center of the wheel whereas the other is directed at the sidewall of the tire. Wheel position sensing means are provided on the carriage I8 and are engaged by the tire of the wheel to control the operation of the wheel washer assembly in a manner more fully described in the above-mentioned copending application. For the purposes of this description suffice it to say that the brush holder assembly I8 is positioned by a pneumatic cylinder and piston 40 and a chain and sprocket drive 42.

The bevel brush 10 includes a base 46 which is mounted at an angle on the carriage 16 by a bracket 48. The angle may be varied to suit the requirements of the particular installation in which the bevel brush is used. The base 46 mounts the bristles 50 of the brush. The bristles are elongated and flexible although of a material, such as polypropylene, retaining suffcient stiffness in very hot water solutions so as to preclude undesirable softening or bending when in use. An important feature of the invention is that the bristles 50 are beveled or tapered at their outer ends, in the preferred form, at an angle of approximately 15. The bevel keeps the bristles separated when in use; thus more bristle points are making contact at one time, which in turn, provides faster, superior and efficient cleaning.

In the preferred form the bristles 50' are also stepped as at 52 to compensate for the contours of the hubcap HC. On most hubcaps the center of the cap usually protrudes further outwardly than the other sections of the hubcap. Therefore, the shorter brush length will clean the center of the hubcap and allow the longer brush section to penetrate the concave section of the hubcap. This is best shown in FIG. 3 wherein the stepped portion 52 is aligned generally with the center of the hubcap and the longer brush section. extends radially outwardly covering the concave portion of the hubcap IIC as well as a portion of the tire T.

As is readily apparent the beveled face of the brush used in conjunction with a rapidly rotating wheel greatly increases the cleaning efficiency of the brush over brushes heretofore known and greatly increases the useful life of the brush. The beveled brush when used with a stepped portion advantageously performs a cleaning function efficiently with a minimum of wear on the brush.

It is believed that the invention will have been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of my preferred illustrated embodiment. Changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is accordingly my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims be given the broadest interpretation to which the employed language fairly admits.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A wheel washer for automatic vehicle washers compris mg a hubcap brush having a plurality of flexible, elongated bris tles terminating in a beveled face,

means for biasing said beveled face against the hubcap of the wheel as it is rotating, with the plane of the beveled face being generally at right angles to the central axis of rotation of the wheel, the beveled face being generally offset from but slightly overlapping the central axis of 4. The wheel washer of claim 1 wherein said brush is stepped, with said step being aligned generally with the center of the wheel.

5. The wheel washer of claim 4 wherein said unstepped portion is aligned generally rearward of the center of the wheel.

6. The wheel washer of claim 4 further including a tire brush mounted to engage the tire sidewall of the wheel.

7. The wheel washer of claim 1 further including a tire brush mounted to engage the tire sidewall of the wheel. 

1. A wheel washer for automatic vehicle washers comprising a hubcap brush having a plurality of flexible, elongated bristles terminating in a beveled face, means for biasing said beveled face against the hubcap of the wheel as it is rotating, with the plane of the beveled face being generally at right angles to the central axis of rotation of the wheel, the beveled face being generally offset from but slightly overlapping the central axis of rotation of the wheel, and with the shorter bristles of the face being engaged by the wheel ahead of the longer bristles relative to the path of rotation of the wheel whereby the shorter bristles bend toward the longer bristles in the direction of rotation of the wheel.
 2. The wheel washer of claim 1 wherein said beveled face is directed downwardly.
 3. The wheel washer of claim 2 wherein said beveled face is at an angle of approximately 15* with respect to the longitudinal direction of the bristles.
 4. The wheel washer of claim 1 wherein said brush is stepped, with said step being aligned generally with the center of the wheel.
 5. The wheel washer of claim 4 wherein said unstepped portion is aligned generally rearward of the center of the wheel.
 6. The wheel washer of claim 4 further including a tire brush mounted to engage the tire sidewall of the wheel.
 7. The wheel washer of claim 1 further including a tire brush mounted to engage the tire sidewall of the wheel. 